Roller structure



ep., S, 1934, L A BITTQRF 1,974,147

ROLLER STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 9. 1932 Patented Sept. 18, 1934 IPATENT oFFlcE ROLLER STRUCTURE mais A. smurf, sterling, n1.. man@ a National Manufacturing Company, Sterling, lll., a corporation of Illinois Application September 9, 1932, Serial N0. 632,317

z Claims.

Thisinvention relates to roller structure and it has to do particularly with structure of this character which is well adapted for doors oomprising a plurality of horizontal and hingedlyconnected sections supported by rollers for movement along a vertical and then a horizontal trackway from a closed to an open position, and

vice versa.

v One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved roller structure of the foregoing character which is simple in construction and operation,'is composed of but few parts, is strong, durable and capable of supporting exceptionally heavy doors,and easy'to assemble and disassemble and is inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object lis to provide a novel roller means including a roller and its supporting shaft adapted to be associated with the door hinge structure and also adapted to permit of free axial adjustment of the roller and its supporting shaft relative to the door and hinge structure, detachable means being provided for limiting such axial movement in one direction. ,In carrying out this object, novel means is provided by which the roller and its associated parts may be shipped and handled as an assembled unit without danger of accidental separation thereof, which means is readily detachable for unlimited movement of the roller and its shaft in said one direction in the assembled or set-up position of the door.

Still another object is to provide an improved roller shaft and bearing unit in which the shaft is formed from a single piece'and shaped at one end to provide a bearing element of greater dimensions than the remainder of the roller shaft, which bearing element cooperates with a bearing element of the roller. In carrying out this object of the invention, there is provided a strong and durable bearing composed of a minimum of parts which is capable of supporting heavy loads with a minimum of wear. i

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this description progresses and by reference to the drawing wherein,-

Figure 1 is a fragmental, rear elevational view, partially in section, of a door structure having my invention applied thereto; n

Fig. 2 is a view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental sectional View of the roller structure shown in the previous figures;

Fig. 5 is a separated plan View of the roller shaft of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of roller structure embodying my invention, and

Fig. 7 is an end.- elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 6.

In the drawing, my invention is illustrated in its adaptation to a door comprised of a plurality "5 of horizontal, hingedly-connected sections and supported for vertical and horizontal movement along a trackway. Specifically, with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the doorway 10 may be formed by a plurality of frame members in the usual manner, one of which is illustrated at 11.

The doorway is adapted to be closed by a sectional door 12 guided vertically and horizontally, and vice versa, by a track 13 supported by brackets 14 having right angle flanges 14L secured to 70 the doorway frame member 11 bytmembers 15. It is desirable that doors of this character be sealed in their vertical or closed position and, 'to this end, the track-supporting brackets 14 are provided with variable length end projections 14.b which engage, in the closing movement of the door, correspondingly, but reversely, variable diameter sleeves 16 on the roller structures 17 which press the door toward and into sealing engagement with properly positioned seal strips'80 18 carried by the door frame member 11. Except so far as hereinafter pointed out, the structure just described is similar to that disclosed in the co-pending application of Louis A. Bittorf, et al., Serial No. 503,165.

vThis invention has to do particularly with the roller structure 17 and its association with the door and track structure, which will now be described in detail. The door 12 is comprised of a plurality of horizontal sections 12a, the number of 90 which may vary with the particular size'and height of the door. The adjacent horizontal edges of these door sections are provided with upwardly-inclined irregular-shaped joint surfaces which make, .in the closed position of the door, a substantially sealed and weather-proof joint 12b. The adjacent door sections 12a are hingedly connected together by any desired number of hinge members, the side ones 19 of which adjacent track 13, preferably, take the form shown 10o in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive. Specifically, each of these hinges comprises a pair of leaves 19- and 19h having the usual hinge knuckles 19c joined together by a pintle 19d which has its axis aligned, preferably, with the outer and lower edge of the 106 irregular upwardly-directed joint 12b between the door sections (Fig. 2). Each side hinge 19 supports a roller device as follows: An L-shaped bracket 20 has its base portion 20a secured to the hinge leaf 19 by a plurality of rivets or other 11.

suitable fastening devices 20h. It will be understocd, of course, that although the bracket 20 isl shown secured to the hinge 19b it may be equally well secured to the hinge leaf 19, The upstanding portion'20 of the roller bracket is so shaped that it is provided at its outer edgeiwith an integral tubular bearing 20d, ithe axis of which is disposed above and aligned substantially with the axis of the hinge pintle 19. This bracket bearing portion 20d is adapted to freely and slidably receive a roller shaft 21, the outer end of .which supports a roller 22 adapted to ride in the track- Way 13a of the track 13 (Figs. 1 and 3).

In doors of this character, it is highly desirable that the door be movable upon its roller support along the trackway at all times and at all positions, except in the final closing and sealing movement of the door, without binding and dragging action. It will be appreciated that, if the relative position ofi-the door edges, the roller structure and the track be fixed, binding and dragging action, with consequent improper action of the door, might result Adue to improper assembly of the several door parts, or accidental disalignment or distortion of such parts in use. To avoid such a condition, and to insure free and easy door operation at all times, my inventioi contemplates free and unobstructed axial slide Ymovement of the roller shaft 2i in its supporting bearing 20d in a direction to separate the roller 22 anctsupporting bracket 20. Specifically, the diameter of that portion of the roller shaft supported by the bearing 20d is such that the free end of the shaft will readily pass through the bearing, and this free end, in the assembled operative position of the door, is unobstructed so that the shaft movement in a direction to separate the roller and the bracket is unlimited. As will be observed in Figs. 3 and 4, movement of the roller toward the bracket 20 is limited by the sealingjsleeve 16; wherefore, with roller-structure at the opposite sides of the door, the door 12 is free to shift laterally toward opposite tracks 13 a distance determined by the amount of lateral shift of the roller 22 in the track 13, which shift movement is limited in both directions by the sleeves 16. In this manner, a free running-and-shifting door is insured regardless of disalignment of any of the door-supporting parts.

However, althugh the: above-'described shift movement of the door is desirable in the assembled operative position of the structure, it is also quite desirable that the hinge and roller structure 19, 17 be handled and transported as a complete assembled unit to facilitate packaging, shipping and installation of the door. To that end, my invention provides a readily detachable means for preventing separation of the roller shaft 21 from its supporting bracket 20. Specifically, the free end of the roller shaft 21 is provided with a groove 23 in which I mount a split snap ring 24 of such diameter that it may be readily snapped into and removed from the groove 23, but it will not pass through the roller shaft bearing 20d. With this arrangement, the hinge, bracket and roller may be assembled at the place of manufacture as a complete hardware unit and the parts will not become accidentally detached; but, when the door is completely assembled, the snap ring 24 may be easily removed so that the door will freely adjust itself as above described.

The roller 22 has a roller bearing connection with the shaft 21. More particularly, the roller is, preferably, formed of two similar sections 22, 22h, joined together by rivets or other suitable fastening devices 22C. These roller sections are provided with aligned central openings defined by an annular wall parti-circular in cross-section (Fig. 4) so that in the assembled condition of the sections, a ball race portion 22d is provided. 'I'he end of the roller shaft 21 opposite the snap ring 24 is enlarged and shaped Yin any suitable and well known manner to provide an enlarged head 21*` of a diameter substantially equal to the 'diameter of the roller opening and in which is provided an Yannular groove 21b which provides another ball `race member completing the ball raceway 25 in which an annular series of balls 26 is located. The balls 26 serve as means for preventing separation of the roller from its shaft, and the relative dimensions of the roller and shaft raceways are such that any tendency toward axial movement of the shaft 21 with respect to the wheel 22 is reduced to the minimum. In the foregoing manner, the ball bearing is formed with a minimum of parts'and the bearing nis of sufficient size and strength, without increase of thefsize of the operating parts, to support heavy loads with a minimum of wear.

InFigs. 6 and 7 I have illustrated another form of bracket structure which I mayemploy in carrying out my invention. Specifically, this roller means comprises a bracket 27 having at its opposite edges at one end a pair of projecting anges 28, 29, having openings therein for rotatable Vsupport of a shaft 30 carrying aroller 31, which roller and shaft may be of the same form as that shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. The shaft 30 is provided With Aa groo 'e 32 in its free end which is adapted toreceive a snap ring 33 similarly to the shaft 21 of Fig. 4. The snap ring 33 limits axial shift movement of the shaft 31 in one direction and its movement in the opposite direction is limited by a stop 34 which takes the form of an extension on the shaft supporting flange 29 which is projected upwardly and curved over and downwardly into the path of the free end of the shaft 30. The bracket 27, as illustrated, is adapted to be attached directly to the door, at the proper position, rather than tothe hinge; however, it

is to berundersto'od that this bracket may be attached to one of the hinge leaves in the same manner as the bracket 20 of the rst-described form, the bracket being'properly shaped to position the roller shaft 30 over the hinge pintle as above described. It is also to be understood, with respect to the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, that the bracket 20, if desired, may be attached directly to the door, rather than to the hinge, without departing from my invention.

' It is to be further understood that while I have shown only two forms of my invention,4 other changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as defined by the claims which follow. I

I claim:

1. A roller unit adapted to be transported in its unitary assembled form Without accidental displacement of parts thereof, which comprises a bracket having a bearing formed thereon, a roller shaft mounted in said bearing for axial shift movement with the shiftmovement in one direction being unrestrained when the unit is in use, a roller on one end of said shaft, a groove in the other end of said shaft, and a snap ring of greater outside diameter than said bearing adapted to be detachably mounted in said groove, said snap ring being positioned in said groove during transportation of the unit to prevent accidental displacement of the shaft and being removed from ico iso

a roller on one end of said shaft adjacent one end of said bearing and detachable means at the other end ot said shaft and adjacent the other end of said bearing for limiting movement ot 'said roller away from said bearing during Ihandling of the roller structure prior to being placed in use and being removed when the structure is placed in use to permit said unrestrained movement.

LOUIS A. BITIDRF. 

